The National tribune., 1887-07-14
IN THE NEXT WAR.
FaeetOss COmrade Tells Of the Past, the Present,
and the Future.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / see the
boys are writing military history. but they
have ali overlooked the valuable service i rem.
dered in the late fracas. | will say right here
that / was not the youngest soldier in the serv-
ice; i did not place the first flag on Lookout
Mountain; i was not member of the White
Star Division; / did not raise the first flag in
Chattanooga; my regiment was not the first IN
Petersburg; i was not one OF the first over the
works at Fort HARRISON was never in the
Shenandoah Valley, and did not clean out the
Valley. Gen. Sheridan did that. did raise y
few chickens and sweet potatoes, and did
more in that line than in the flag business
The fault was not with me, but with my regi-
ment, for IL most always camped much nearer 10
henroosts and pOtato-patches than to court
houses, and the chicken and potatoes were less
troublesome TO get at.
But will tell you what did dol put down
the rebellion and saved this glorious country
Please put that in history. / was a member in
good standing OF the Army of the Tennessee
private. aud about the only one lett. Our
commander was Uncle Billy" and he was
master of ceremonies on the many excursions
and pIcnics we had. He gave US plenty of out
door exercise, which was very good, as the
most of us had gone South for our health and
Sl3 per month. But We missed IL on the health
business, for remember my regiment camped
at quite number of places that proved To be
very unhealthy for the boys. / have reference
10 the boys that got To the front i started Tor
the front one time, but just before We got in
line one of our boys got wounded, poor fellow.
l, with five others, helped him 10 the rear. AS
only four could carry the stretcher, the fifth
carried his hat, and went OH ahead for water.
Perhaps some may think was a musician, be-
cause l helped that man TO the rear, but | was
not. As near as / ever came to being must
clan was at the commencement oil the late trou-
BILE. i asked my Captain to appoint me a
drummer. He looked at me and said he did
not want 10 spoil q good soldier to make a
ID poor drummer. think if had made
the same request year later i would have re-
ceived the appointment, for by the remark he
made on many occasions / think he had
changed his opinion some about my good quail
tiles as a soldier.
After / got the water and rested up some
i once more started to the front, but | got
scattered and become disOrgauiZed, and did not
come up in time TO help the boys out 1t makes
me shudder even to this day to think if had got
TO the front, who knows but what would have
got cut all 10 pieces, aud perhaps surrounded aud
taken prisoner. Mr. Editor, We're you in the
WARP tell you, fellow gets plenty of expert
ence for the pay.
In the next war l am going to stay out but
II should go, please don't put me down as the
youngest soldier, but as the oldest fool. / would
not even 20 As an officer for have been in places
where dead officers were thicker than school
mains in Illinois No. il / should go again
must 30 as sutler, cook, teamster, or Chaplain,
for never saw any of them crushed up. But
i would prefer To 90 as a Paymaster, if il would
be all the same at headquarters.
They say it is sweet to die for ones
country" Dir. Editor, don't you believe word
of it. That will do 10 sing and tell to young
folks, but it will not pass muster with the old
boys, like you and me. Just look at me after
all i have gone through to save this country.
would not, even at this late day. change my
place with dozen dead men.-W. NJ. JONES,
Co. L, 18th H.. Richmond, Va.